


Letters and Numbers

by abraxos_sniffing_flowers



Series: TLC Soulmates [1]
Category: Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, i love this trope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-13 01:49:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10503927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abraxos_sniffing_flowers/pseuds/abraxos_sniffing_flowers
Summary: On any regular night, Cress Darnel holes up in her dorm room, waiting for her room mates phone conversations to be over.This night is different.After all, the numbers tell her so.





	

**Author's Note:**

> My fic blog is abraxos-sniffing-flowers-fics and all my normal stuff is on abraxos-sniffing-flowers

_00:00:07:33:56 CKT_

 

Were the letters and numbers Cress bore across her wrists at 12:00 on a dreary Friday when she had no classes. She sat at her desk, typing at her computer and trying to drown out the sound of her roommate. Scarlet wasn’t a bad roommate, but Cress really didn’t want to hear her talk over the phone to _Wolf._ Their timers had ticked to zero while Scar went clubbing a month ago and, although they made a cute (albeit scary) couple, Cress was beginning to be extremely pestered by their late night conversations and mushy cuddles when she was trying to code and hack.

 

“Okay… I’ll see what I can do… I’ll try, but I’m doubtful she’ll give in… Okay. Bye. I love you.” Cress hears Scarlet hang up the phone and sighs. _How does she even have the money to talk for an hour and a half_.

 

“Hey, Cress,” Scarlet asks softly, making Cress turn her chair around. “Do you want to go to Z’s club tonight?” she asks softly, coming and perching herself on the edge of Cress’ desk.

 

“I would rather not.”

 

“C’mon. Please Cress. What time does your clock say?”

 

“7 and a half hours. Why would I want to go and third-wheel with you and your soulmate? I’ve done that for a very long time with all my friends and, don’t get me wrong, I think Wolf is good for you, but I just… I just don’t want to go.” Scarlet sighed.

 

“In 11 and a half hours, it’ll be 7:30. How are you going to meet them if you’re sat in here all night? On any other night, you would be asleep by 7:30. Please Cress. I won’t ask you any other night after this. I promise.” Cress sighs. Scarlet is right, she wouldn’t achieve anything by staying in all night.

 

“Fine. But I’m leaving your side the moment you and Wolf are together.”

 

*~*

 

Cress went further down the bar the moment Scarlet leaned across the counter to kiss her bartending soulmate. She sat at the bar and ordered a beer, tapping her knee softly. She had worn a periwinkle coloured dress that reached mid-thigh and made her eyes pop. The top clung to her attractively and was the only dress she wore clubbing because it was the only dress she owned for the occasion. She checked her clock.

 

_00:00:00:13:07_

 

_Aces and stars,_ Cress thought. She considers her outfit and hair again. She had let Scarlet do her lipstick in a soft pink, but had vetoed any of her roommates other makeup suggestions. _Hell_ , she had even borrowed heels to make up for her short height.

 

_Aces, what am I doing here? He probably won’’t even like me._

 

_00:00:00:02:55_

 

_Oh stars and satellites, I’m going to throw up. I’m not ready. He won’t like me, he’ll run off with another girl who’s prettier and better than me._

 

_00:00:00:01:40_

 

_He’ll think I’m a nerd. I mean, who likes hackers anyways, he’ll probably think I’m weird. Oh, Aces._

 

_00:00:00:00:43_

 

_No. You are beautiful, you are smart, you should be intimidating to a sane guy, not the other way round._

 

_00:00:00:00:20_

 

Cress sipped her drink, setting a soft smile on her face. She turned to see Scarlet and Wolf watching from down the bar and she sent a thumbs up their way.

 

_00:00:00:00:10_

 

The small voice in her head told her to stay where she was and she found herself drumming her nails on the wooden bar.

 

_5…_

 

Her stomach flipped like a gymnast.

 

_4…3…_

 

She repeated her mantra and let herself smile, shooting another thumbs up at Scar.

 

_2…1…_

 

She twisted away from Wolf and Scarlet’s gaze as she felt someone stand next to her.

 

_beep…beep…beep._

 

The timer fell off her wrist as she looked at the man beside her. He was gorgeous. Ruffled brown hair and bright blue eyes. His lips were pulled into a smirk which made him look a hell of a lot sexier. He was wearing a leather jacket and jeans. He turned to her and looked her down, making her blush. He met her eyes and said;

 

“Carswell Thorne, pleased to meet you darling”

 

*~*

 

Thorne, like most people, loved Fridays. He had an easy day of pilot training and when he was done, he could go hang out at the bar where Cinder worked. His best friend never minded cutting him off and helping him home when she deemed him too drunk. An added bonus was the women that passed through the bar. Friday night was when he forgot about _CMD_ and his timer.

 

Not tonight though.

 

Tonight he was nervous. Because tonight was the night where he would meet the mysterious CMD. He hoped she was hot.

 

He stepped into the bar and sauntered his way to the dance floor, as he normally did. 

 

_00:00:00:07:55_

 

He had time to kill and he would know what to do when the time came. Thorne winked at girls as he let himself hop to the beat thrumming through the floor. He felt alive and happy, but underneath all that, he was aware of the numbers on his clock.

 

_00:00:00:01:33_

 

Thorne stepped off the floor at that point and went towards where Cinder was working at the bar, cleaning glasses with a rag. Her metal hand glinted as the strobe lights hit it. He swaggered up and placed an elbow on. Cinder looks up at him, smiles and fills a glass with beer.

 

“You know Cinder, your boyfriends a multi-millionaire, you don’t have to work this job as well as your job at the mechanics.” She shrugs.

 

“I like this job. And you worry about your love life and I’ll worry about mine.”

 

_00:00:00:00:36_

 

“I’m about to meet my partner, Cinder, can we not talk about my love life right now?”

 

“I forgot about that.” Pause. “Why are here right now? Go” He steps away from the bar, letting his thoughts take over.

 

_00:00:00:00:07_

 

_Down the bar._

 

He turns his head and sees the back of a blonde wearing a pretty blue dress. He moves in his usual swagger.

 

_6…5…_

 

He sidesteps a woman in a cute miniskirt.

 

_4…3…_

 

The girl send a thumbs up to someone else down the bar and Thorne gets nervous.

 

_2…_

 

He ruffles his hair and sidesteps a couple making out.

 

_1…_

 

He stands next to her and she turns around.

 

_Beep… beep… beep._

 

He looks her over. Short and wavy blonde hair, soft, cerulean blue eyes, a cute button nose smattered with freckles, and plump, pink painted lips. She blushes as he smirks at her.

 

“Carswell Thorne, pleased to meet you darling” He sticks his hand out and she smiles and takes it. He hands are soft and her smile is bright and beautiful.

 

“Cress Darnel” He tries not to grin giddily. Even her voice made him happy.

 

“Cress. Do you, maybe want to go for a walk with me? This bar’s a little too crowded.” She studies his face for a couple of seconds and he gets nervous. She’s obviously smarter than people perceive her. Suddenly she gives another heart stopping smile.

 

“I would love to.”

 

*~*

 

“So, Cress, tell me a little bit about yourself” Thorne queries, holding her arm as they walk through the park towards her dorm building.

 

“Um, well, I’m 19, I go to college, I’m getting a double degree in computer science and theatre, I have no siblings, a absent dad and very few friends. Oh, and my favourite colour is yellow. You?”

 

“I’m 23, am a pilot in training across the city, no siblings but my best friend, who is basically my sister, works in the bar. My parents are controlling but absent at the same time and, my favourite colour is blue.” He moves his arm and intertwines their fingers together, swinging their hands gently.

 

“Did you say you were majoring in computer science? That’s kind of hot and kind of intimidating.” Cress blushes and looks at her feet, her hair falling in her face.

 

“Yeah, well. It was a hobby I started when I was nine and by the time I was 16 I could hack into websites that would be considered illegal to hack into… probably shouldn’t have told you that.” He laughs and leans closer, sneaking a kiss on her cheek. Her blush deepened and he smirked.

 

“Definitely hot.” Cress giggles, rolling her eyes.

 

“Nothing about me is hot” Cress snorts. She said it like she thought it was true, like she’d never been complimented like that in her life. It made Thorne frown.

 

“Well I think you’re not seeing the beautiful parts of you.” He says and she glances up at him and he takes the chance to press a kiss on her nose. “And, if this whole soulmate thing is legit, then I will have a very long time to assure you of your beauty.”

 

“I’m sure it is legit, considering my college roommate and how her soulmate act. They’ve been together for a month and are already giving declarations of love.”

 

“My best friend, Cinder, met her soulmate last year, and they are so domestic and couple-y that I can barely be in the same room as them.” Cress laughs at his squeamish face. “I’m serious! They do the whole ‘feed each and gaze longingly into each others eyes’ thing. It’s cringey” Cress laughs harder.

 

“And you’ve never considered doing that?”

 

“Maybe. I’ve never had any one to do that with. I’ve never been that in love with someone” Thorne says softly as they reach Cress’ dorm building and he prepares himself to say goodnight to her.

 

“Me neither”

 

“Well then, we’ll just have to change that.” He pauses. “Hey Cress, what does CMD stand for? I mean, I know it would be your full name, but I’m curious.” She cringes.

 

“You can’t laugh, okay?” He nods and she swallows. “Crescent Moon Darnel. I hate being named after a moon phase.” She scowls. “How ‘bout you CKT?”

 

“Carswell Kingsley Thorne. I hate being named after my dad.” She paused in front of her door and began to rifle through her bag, pulling out her phone and keys. Cress tapped her phone a couple of times before handing it to him.

 

“I like it. It suits you. Put your contact in my phone and I’ll call you later, yeah?” He nods, typing a name and number in.

 

“I’ll put myself down as ‘Soulmate’ alright?”

 

“Okay” He hands the phone back to her and she drops it in her bag.

 

“I had a really nice time tonight, Thorne. I think I will enjoy being around you.” Thorne smiled, a faint blush on his cheeks.

 

“Likewise Cress.” Making a bold move, Thorne swoops his head down and kisses her cheek, his lips just brushing the side of hers. “Goodnight Darling.”

 

“Goodnight Thorne.” He waits for her to slip into her apartment before he turns to go home. The dopey smile doesn’t fall off his face until he falls asleep. 


End file.
